New Water Safety Equipment Boosts Training & Community Engagement Work

Firefighters will now benefit from new specialist water‑rescue equipment that will support both operational readiness and community safety, following investment in advanced Ruth Lee training dummies. The upgrade arrived at an ideal moment, with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service having recently hosted a series of open‑water training exercises and community events as part of its water safety campaign.

These new dummies offer a significant step forward from the standard manikins used across most fire stations. Ruth Lee’s water‑rescue models are designed to replicate the weight, movement, and behaviour of a real drowning casualty, with adult versions typically weighing between 40 and 50 kilograms, and advanced models reaching up to 54 kilograms depending on configuration. 

Unlike standard training aids, these dummies float in a near‑vertical position, leaving only the head and shoulders visible above the surface — precisely how a real unconscious casualty might present. 

In the last month, Stapleford Fire Station hosted two major water‑rescue exercises in a high‑risk open‑water setting, bringing together firefighters from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. These cross‑border sessions allowed crews to rehearse search, recovery, and casualty‑handling techniques under realistic conditions, supported by the new dummies’ ability to mimic how a real person drifts, floats, and responds to movement in the water.

Watch Manager Kevin Tedds said the new equipment - which features three 44kg adult dummies, one 22kg youth dummy, and one baby dummy - would be invaluable to the station’s operational and community programmes: “This investment allows us to enhance both our training standards and the quality of our community safety sessions. Realistic training helps our crews stay prepared, but just as importantly, it enables us to demonstrate to the public how they can help themselves and others in an emergency.”

The equipment will also play a central role in the station’s community engagement work, where firefighters regularly visit schools, youth groups, and community organisations to promote water safety. The lifelike behaviour of the new dummies allows demonstrators to show exactly how a casualty may appear in the water and how rescue equipment, such as throwlines, can be used effectively, helping reinforce vital guidance such as Float to Live.